


How High Can You Jump?

by ThayOneGurl



Category: Tokyo Ghoul
Genre: At least I think they are funny, Bad Puns, Barista!Hide, Barista!Touka, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Funny, Funny jokes, Ghoul Kaneki Ken, Hide is no longer a CCG member, Human Nagachika Hideyoshi, Humor, Implied/Referenced Kosaka Yoriko/Kirishima Touka, Implied/Referenced Nishio Nishiki/Nishino Kimi, Light Angst, M/M, My first AO3 fanfic, One Shot, Protective Kaneki Ken | Sasaki Haise, Protective Nagachika Hideyoshi, hidekane, how many tags do i need, kanehide - Freeform, little bit of gore, whatever the ship is
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-08
Updated: 2019-06-08
Packaged: 2020-04-12 15:10:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19134586
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThayOneGurl/pseuds/ThayOneGurl
Summary: Kaneki huffed loudly, frowning he responded, "Yes Hide while I'm being chased by murderous, hungry ghouls or humans that want to make a weapon out of me. I stop to consider about how high I'm jumping." Kaneki deadpanned waiting for Hide's reaction.Hide gave him his very own 'are-you-shitting-me-right-now' stares. He bit his lip."I mean did you at least take a ruler." Kaneki groaned face palming but a small smile managed to come forth from Hide's stupid, yet somehow lovable comments.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Kaneki's day goes from good to bad to good. All thanks to Hide. (And a little help of Touka.)





	How High Can You Jump?

 

"Hey Kaneki, so like, how high can you jump when you go all half ghoul." Hide's head peeked up from behind the counter getting everything ready for a Friday at the small neighborhood cafe, even if it was to  _work_. Kaneki gave him a blank stare, and took a sip of his freshly made black coffee; made by Hide, of course. He sighed, recently Hide had been asking all sorts of question about ghouls or " _half ghouls_."

 

"I don't know." Kaneki just shrugged taking another sip of his coffee, he didn't really remember what he used to order at cafes' anymore; it's been so long. Hide gasped in mock horror placing his hand in front of his mouth for added effect. Kaneki just rolled his eyes, Hide had to be born with an extra 'funny bone' somewhere, no pun intended.

 

"Well, I mean don't you have an estimate of how high you can jump? You're constantly jumping around on all sorts of building, do you remember any in particular?" Hide's back was facing him as he prepared the coffee for opening, apparently from the way he was squirming he could feel Kaneki's glare. Kaneki huffed loudly, frowning he responded,

 

"Yes Hide while I'm being chased by murderous, hungry ghouls or humans that want to make a weapon out of me. I stop to consider about how high I'm jumping." Kaneki deadpanned waiting for Hide's reaction. Hide gave him his very own 'are-you-shitting-me-right-now' stares. He bit his lip.

 

"I mean did you at least take a ruler." Kaneki groaned face palming but a small smile managed to come forth from Hide's stupid, yet somehow lovable comments.

 

"No sorry I forgot the ruler." He arched his eyebrow up and Hide laughed, one that made Kaneki's heart flutter as his own smile reached farther across his face.

 

"Man what's with all the noise, can't you guys keep quiet too early for this lovely dovey crap." Touka's voice rung loudly through the small cafe. Hide turned and smile giving her a "Good morning and who woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning" that earned him a punch in the arm; not that he didn't expect any less.

 

Hide somehow managed to brighten up the shop. Hide was like the sun, but he didn't burn too bright and managed not to be too dim. The perfect in between. Kaneki watched Hide and Touka banter for a bit and realized he had run out of coffee; apparently Hide noticed as well.

 

"Here ya go fine mister one black coffee,--Hide leaned in to whisper like some creepy drug dealer and placed the two brown sugar cubes in his hand--, don't tell anyone, but these are for you." He just winked a smile spread across his face and walked away. Kaneki just rolled his eyes at Hide's antics, some customers that came here only became a regular because of Hide's antics; he understood why though.

 

Although a couple of them that get to close get a smoldering glare from Kaneki. Touka walked to the door and flipped the "Open" sign the right way so that the "Closed" part faced in. From then on it was mostly a blur. Kaneki didn't remember much as time flew past him. A couple jokes and comments from Hide as well as some well earned punches in the arm; obviously Touka.

 

Kaneki wasn't quite sure where it suddenly started going down hill. When he started to hear...  _them._

 

Maybe he did remember a couple moments before, a light joke from Hide that got Touka more than a little angry; probably because it was a coffee joke, she wasn't a sucker for coffee jokes, and maybe because that's all his jokes are about. A customer had just sat down on a stool next to the counter, he was a regular. Came often for bad jokes and even worse puns; obviously from Hide.

 

But also because Anteiku's coffee was, well amazing coffee. Hide popped up from the back, which would scare a normal customer but you get used to it, and greeted them politely before getting their coffee, without even asking them; Kaneki tells himself its because they're a regular. Hide slid up and placed the coffee in front of the man, smiling lightly before saying proudly,

 

"Your peppermint mocha, enjoy!" Although the man most certainly will be, they always do. The man sipped it making a refreshed noise, and set his gaze on Hide to compliment the younger man because of his peppermint mocha.

 

"Man, these always taste so good!" He smiled before sipping some more on his mocha. Hide flashed him his 'obvious-pun-alert-incoming' smile.

 

"Well what can I say, coffee is part of my daily grind." A proud smile, to say the very least lit up his face. A successful pun is a happy Hide and a proud one too.

 

The man chuckled giving him a, "That was a good one," before sipping on his mocha again. Of course the man knew of the impending danger Hide was about to face; short, purple haired woman  **cough cough**  Touka. And of course he knew too, which is why he was able to dodge the first attack. Which didn't bode well with his ghoul  _"friend."_  Don't ask about the second one, let's just say Hide would have to change his clothes.

 

The man and many others were laughing, chuckling, or giggling at the two barista's antics. Kaneki wasn't. Kaneki couldn't hear it anymore, it as if he was underwater or in a room with TV static; he couldn't hear anybody. Anybody, but  _them._

 

Suddenly he was alone, it was black and dark. Alone. But he could hear faint laughter,  _he could_   _feel his grip tighten on the table._  And. He could hear  **her** laughter and the voices,  _god the voices._ His breath quickened, his heart pounded in his chest. The whispers, the screams, and immediately he wasn't alone. He could tell by the shift in the air,  _he could tell by the pressure on his back._

 

He could feel her soft, purple locks fall next to his face and her hand extended over his shoulder. His airways closed up, he couldn't breath. And. She. She was pointing at something, something within the fog.

 

**(Kaneki.)** And he froze, the words from earlier molding into the background like TV static. Background noise, not the best either. He knew it was her, it always was. Even if she wasn't actually here, she was in his mind; always.

 

**(They look very happy, wouldn't you say?)** The fog shifted and a dim circle of light shone into his dark space, it was them. Hide, Touka, as well as Nishio and Yoriko they must have showed up at some point. Showed up while he was stuck here, he smiled at the laughter. At Hide's smile, at all of their smiles. The circle closed, his smile dropped, and he was alone again.

 

**(Can you** **protect** **them, Kaneki?)** He took in a shuddering breath feeling it shake his rib cage and very soul. The voices became much louder, much, much louder.

 

What they said, hurt, a lot. But the voices themselves felt like a knife, wedged into his heart before being pulled out and stabbed back in.

 

_Why, why_ _ **couldn't** __you_ _protect __her, poor Hinami. I_ _ **can't** __believe you_ _ook __**her** __away from me and_ _ **he** __ended up like_ _this _ _. You c_ _an't_ _**ever** _ _keep the_ _ promises _ _ **you** __make,huh? Such a **d**_ _ **isappointment** _ _._

 

 

Touka, I'm sorry," She wasn't dead, the logical side of him told him this but was soon drowned out by his very own words. He choked out his next sentence in a jumble.

 

 

" **I'm**  so,  _so_   **sorry**  I  **couldn't**  do  _anything_   **I**  can  _ **never**_  do  _anything_ _I'm_   **useless**   _absolutely_  usele--," his own words cut off by another voice.

 

 

_Kaneki,_ _ **you**_ _d_ _idn't_   _make it in_ _time_ _and_ _ **now** __she's_   _ **gone** _ _. What_ _did_    **s** _ **he** __do to_ _ **deserve** _ _what_ _happened _ _to her... why_ _didn't_ _**you** __save_   _ **her** _ _. Do your_ _promises __mean_ _ **nothing** _ _,how can people even_   _ **trust**  _ _you _ _. **T**_ _ **wo-faced**_ _,_ _bastard _ _._

 

Nisiki, his voice rung in my ear as well as Touka's. Kaneki grabbed at his head trying to make it go away as he profusely apologized. Telling them he wasn't making excuses, and his actions weren't excusable. That he didn't throw away people trust, told them that them trusting him meant so much to him. All the words started to chant into his ears as she stood in front of him.

 

Not smiling. Not frowning. Just staring at what he had become. She didn't help Kaneki. He thought he was done with this. With her. He gasped trying to get his breathing under control, trying to calm his frantic heart; his frantic mind. As if it was magic the words and fog whipped away. As he sat there sobbing, waiting for it to come back and haunt him again.

 

But the words didn't come back, and he sat there clutching his head for what felt like an eternity. And he finally looked up. And his eyes widened, he was here. He was saved. Kaneki dragged himself up and began to slowly shuffle over. But the shuffle turned into a walk, which turned into a jog, which turned into a full out sprint towards his savior. His hero. His light.

 

His sun. Hide.

 

The light blinded him and he smiled, wanting to laugh. But nothing is as good as it seems, and it seems as though the world hasn't drilled that into him yet. Kaneki stopped the scene unfolding in front of him, it came as a surprise but changed into shock. His body started to tremble again.

 

no. no. no, no, no, no, No. No. NONONONO!

 

Kaneki grabbed his head as the words pelted him like rain on an umbrella. He screamed, and thrashed trying to free himself of the image. Of him. Of his sun. Of his broken body laying a couple feet away. And he was getting up, he heaved as he slowly sauntered his way over to Kaneki. Before stopping a ways a way. Kaneki held his breath but the tears kept falling like waterfall. And the voices. And his voice.

 

 

_Kaneki, why, why did this happen._

 

Kaneki wanted to run forward. Wanted to bring Hide back.

_Kaneki, why did you break our promise._

 

The voice was emotionless, cold,  _empty. And Kaneki_ _couldn't_ _help it._ The apologies slipped out and he was running forward, but it was as if the space didn't close. He wasn't moving like he was stuck in tar.

 

 

_Kaneki._  Stop.  _Kaneki, why._ Please, stop.  _Kaneki, why did you_ -  **STOP, PLEASE!**  He sobbed and the voice stopped, he stood there before flashing him a smile, his blinding light.

 

 

_Why did_ **_you_ ** _do this to me,_ **_Kaneki_ ** _?_

 

 

Kaneki? He did this. All this carnage. All these bodies. He did this.  **Hide**. No, no. He laughed, and  **sobbed**  and  _screamed_  and...  ** _hurt_**. It all crashed down and he  _couldn't_. He couldn't have. But he laughed. Oh it hurt.

 

 

_Kaneki._

 

 

_Why_? Leave  **me**  alone. Make it  **stop**.

 

 

_Kaneki._

 

 

The words got louder as if they were coming from somewhere farther away, he looked up a circle opened up. It rippled and he saw a faint image of. Hide. Unhurt. Worried. About him. He reached up towards the light as the voices tried to bring him down.

 

 

_Kaneki, wake up._ _It's_ _me Hide._

 

 

I know, help me. Please. Help me.

 

 

_Kaneki, come back._

 

I want to but it  **hurts**  too much, I can't. It  **hurts**  too much.  **(You** **can't** **protect** **him.)**  Hide, I'm... sorry. I can't--

 

 

_I love you Kaneki, come back_ _PLEASE_ _._

 

 

A chill past through him and suddenly the room burst into light and color and... and Anteiku. And. And Hide. He was standing in front of him talking to him, but he couldn't hear him.

 

"You don't look very good, Sir. I will escort you to the back so you can rest." Hide placed a hand on his guiding him with him, supporting him. Kaneki felt numb, the only thing grounding him was Hide's warmth. The hand on his shoulder helping him to the back of Anteiku. Once they reached their destination Hide opened up the door as quietly as possible.

 

Kaneki immediately found a chair to sit on not trusting his own limbs to keep him from toppling over. Hide's face was grim, which was unlike him. Kaneki could see the flashes of emotion passing through Hide's honey colored eyes concern, hurt, grief, frustration, fear,  _shame._ Kaneki knew if he kept looking he would breakdown, because he didn't deserve these emotions from Hide.

 

"Kaneki, I--." Nothing followed his strong start on a conversation, he doesn't know what to say to comfort me, to help me. He doesn't know what to do, glancing up a feeling stabbed me in the chest. Not a bad feeling, surprise. Hide's lips were quivering, he was trying to keep a straight face but his lips pulled down ever so slightly, shaking. Hide was trying not to  _cry._

 

Kaneki took in a shaky breath, trying not to breakdown too. Before he could move to stand up Hide walked forward and grinned. Blinking back the tears, being- no showing Kaneki that he can be strong too.

 

"Kaneki, if I had realized it sooner. I could-would have helped." Kaneki's eyes watered, he knew Hide meant it. But Hide shouldn't have to be burdened with this weight that he carries. Opening his mouth Hide shook his head.

 

"I know what you will say. You're not a burden got that. I want to share this weight you carry... share it together. I care for you more... more than I could even try to put into words." Hide stopping and breathing between a couple sentences; trying to keep his composure. Kaneki slowly nodded, he didn't want to burden anyone. But he could try. For Hide.

 

"You're not alone, Kaneki. You have--."Hide gulped, blinking his eyes. Kaneki had only seen Hide cry once or twice. The first when he realized that Kaneki's aunt was less than nice to him, that's the overstatement of the century, and that he could do nothing; being a child and all.  The second time was when Kaneki and him had reunited, after his... time with Jason.

 

The reunion was not planned, Kaneki had never wanted Hide to know about him becoming a ghoul. But after trying to hide all of it, after all he went through to push hide away. To keep him  _safe._ He still found out.

 

On the rooftop in which they met; again. It was quite awkward, especially when Hide just broke down. Kaneki didn't expect it, considering Hide just doesn't  _cry._ He stayed away though, definitely cautious of boundaries that I (never) set. After he wiped his tears away we talked and ended up promising to meet at Anteiku. Even in between of a battle Kaneki couldn't think of anything else besides  _Hide_ and their meeting. 

 

Kaneki simultaneous also had to fight off a ghoul, which was the main reason he wanted to stay away from Hide, he then reminded Kaneki of how he works at the very place that kills ghouls. Hide had never told Kaneki this. Hide looked shocked, after telling Kaneki; He guessed it was probably a secret that was accidentally let out. Glaring at Hide, Kaneki began to list off many reasons of how dangerous it was. Hide puffed out his cheeks saying, "Yes, mom." 

 

After dropping Hide off the roof, with him giggling and whooping the entire way down(which was a little cute), he smiled and waved before jogging off in the direction Kaneki assumed was his house. Then here we are. In Anteiku with him sitting in a chair and Hide comforting him. Hide's voice startled him out of his mind rant/memory viewing. 

 

"I'm gonna cry now, just so you know. Letting out the waterworks... okay." Hide's voice was brittle and it seemed as though his, "okay," was more to reassure himself more than Kaneki. Hide's eyes are now very much so watering, and tears flowing down his cheeks. Kaneki gathered air into his before calmly letting it go, as he did with his doubt and fears. Kaneki motioned with his hands for Hide to walk over to him, Hide sniffled stumbling over.

 

As Hide didn't want him to stand he pulled Hide forward and lifted his uniform up. Hide jumped when he felt a cold hand on his stomach. Kaneki held in his evil smirk when he leaned forward and blew a raspberry on Hide's stomach. Hide's quiet sniffling was replaced with soft giggles, and his bewildered look changing into a small smile.  Hide struggled to keep the smile off his face and the giggles in.

 

But no matter how hard he tried to stay sad and depressing, his laugh still ended up bouncing throughout the room. Kaneki smiled, relived he had made Hide feel better. Especially after all that Hide had done for him. Hide snorted telling him to stop before Touka busted in and called them out on being "lovely-dovey."

 

Hide squirmed in his grip but seeing as Kaneki is ghoul. Poor Hide had no chance. The tears when no longer flowing. Hide's laughter made Kaneki's heart soar. The door slamming open however, didn't. Hide's laughter imminently stopped, but was still holding in giggles.

 

"Jesus guys you're gonna give me diabetes." Her seemingly monotone voice cut through the anxious silence. 

 

"I don't even want to ask what your doing, as I don't care what your--." Her voice cut off when Hide turned to look at her. Kaneki leaned out to see if he missed something. He saw the last bit of what looked like shock plastered on her face. Closing her eyes she sighed. 

 

"I'll call the bastard in to see if he can take--," Once again her sentence cut off but this time by a loud, "But!" from Hide. It managed to make Kaneki jump a bit. Hide opened his mouth again.

 

"Close your mouth dimwit, and take the offer while I'm being nice." She probably noticed Hide's face, moreover his tear stained cheeks. Hide apparently recognized it after some time and wiped his cheeks. Touka half-glared at Hide and as his shoulders dropped he gave her a slow nod. 

 

"Good." A small smile graced her face before quickly dropping off into her usual 'Touka-hates-the-world-expression;' that line is courteous of Hide. 

 

"And you better eat something too or I will march all the way there and kick your ass into next week. Hide." Touka didn't usually call Hide by his first name. He looked surprised, but that was most likely as far as she would go to comfort him, but it was enough to show that she cared.  Her face them dropped to Kaneki and she sent him a 'we-need-to-talk-look.'

 

He withered under her glare but didn't let it show. A small pat on his shoulder showed that Hide needed him to let go so he could change. After the door shut Touka marched over hands crossed over her chest. Her 'angry-mother-glare this time,' huh.

 

His mouth moved before he could even think of words to say. 

 

"I don't really know what came over me. One minute,"--  He couldn't hear Touka calling out his name,-- "I'm here next I was with,"-- a slap echoed throughout the room. Kaneki didn't realize it until the pain blossomed throughout his cheek. He looked up at here seeing that closed eye sigh. 

 

"You have me. You have Nishio(if he's not being an ass), you have the owner, and so many others that are willing to help. We're not going to let you do all the heavy lifting." Kaneki's eyes dropped to the floor.

 

"We're all here to help. Especially after what you've done for us, even if you did nothing for us. So let us help you, piece by piece. Let us in and I know as well as others that it's gonna take time." Her words got softer as she spoke. Drifting through the air and making him relax.

 

"Let him in. It felt so freeing to open up to Yoriko, so please open up to him." Her face morphed from a soft smile to her work face. 

 

"You know damn well that I won't let Hide do all the lifting." He knew she spoke of Hide before and he let out a dry laugh. She made everything into a competition especially against Hide. He nodded like Hide had only a minute ago; slowly. She walked to the door and opened it just as Hide was coming through. 

 

Kaneki stood up walking forward. Not just literally but in his steps to open up to Hide.

 

"You should grab a ruler." Hide looked at him confused for a second before an 'O' replaced his mouth. Kaneki laughed at his face and noticed that Hide laughed along side him. If Hide stayed by his side Kaneki knew he could get through anything. Just as the sun brightens this world, Hide brightened Kaneki's.

 

And if telling Hide meant his world getting a little brighter, he would take the chances. 

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first post on AO3, and it's hecka confusing with all the stuff to choose from. Hopefully there aren't too many grammer or spelling mistakes I just got a new keyboard. Also I didn't really look over it very thoroughly. Woo first Kanehide/Hidekane fic.
> 
> "Yay." She said in a monotone voice. XD (literally Touka)


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